Seaming device and seam.



J. W..WALLACE. SEAMING DEVICE AND SEAM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1912.

1,053,458, Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

WITNESSES INVENTOR a p2 [Wm MM COLUMBIA PLANoGRAPl-I co., WASHINGTOPLID. c.

oarr snares PATENT orrion JOHN W. WALLACE, 0F RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY.

SEAMING DEVICE AND SEAM.

To cZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN WV. l/VALLACE, citizen of the United States, residing at Rutherford, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Seaming Devices and Seams, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to the seaming or stitching together of the edges of the coverings for various objects, such as the canvas covering or sheath around the heat insulation of steam pipes, the burlap covers of hams and the like, the closing of filled bags, and other uses that will occur to those skilled in the art. Such coverings have commonly been sewn up with an ordinary needle and string, considerable time being consumed in the operation.

A principal object of the invention is economy of time and labor in applying such coverings.

Other objects are inexp-ensiveness of the seaming devices and security of the seam.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

My invention comprehends a seaming device in combination with the seam formed thereby. The seaming device has a shank and an open link, the link being adapted to hold together the edges or meeting portions of the seam and the shank extendlng to the reverse side of the seam and being locked in place by the link of the next succeeding seaming device.

My invention also lncludes several features of construction and combinations of parts as will appear from the following de scription.

I shall now describe the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a side view of one of the stitching devices. showing the invention applied to the cover ing of a pipe. Fig. 3 is a reverse view 'of the seam shown in Fig. 2, but with the end fastened.

The seaming device or stitching pin, which may be formed of suitable wire, has a straight pointed combined stitching ano locking shank 1 which is provided with an oblong open link 2 forming, as shown, a

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 30, 1912.

Fig. 2 is an elevation- Patented Feb.-18,1913. Serial No. 712,356.

continuation of the shank 1. The open link 2 is shown as disposed in a plane in which lies the axis of. the shank 1. of the link 2 is provided alongside the shank 1 and is formed between the shank and a free straight end portion of the link which projects toward the shank and terminates in a blunt end, as is clearly shown in the drawings.

The seam is formed of a series or succession of the seaming devices combined with the edges or opposed meeting portions of the material 3 stitched together. In this seam the open links 2 engage the inturned or folded meeting portions and hold them together. Each seaming device locks the preceding seaming device in place by means of the engagement of its link 2 with the shank 1 of such preceding device, the pointed end of each shank 1 extending to the reverse side of the seam beneath the material 3 in position to be thus engaged by the link 2 of the next succeeding seaming device, as appears in Figs. 2 and 3 ofthe drawings.

In using the seaming devices the pointed end of the shank 1 of each is thrust through the material 3 at the meeting portions thereof in the same manner as in using an ordinary needle. The seaming device is drawn through the material 3 until its open link 2 comes into engagement with the material. The shank l is then rotated until it lies nearly longitudinally of the seam, extending at a slight angle thereto,as shown in the drawings, and the pointed end portion of the shank is placed beneath the fabric 3. The rotation of the shank 1 draws the meeting portions of the material 3 firmly together and causes the oblong open link or holding portion 2 to engage such meeting portions and hold them together, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The point/ed shank of the next succeeding seaming device is thrust through the meeting portions of the material 3 at the outside of the shank of the preceding seaming device, and when this latter seaming device is rotated similarly to the first, as above de scribed, to bring it to the holding position,

its link 2 will engage the shank of the preceding seaming device and securely lock it in position, as clearly appears from Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The last seaming device at the end'of the seam is locked in place by an end-fastening device. This end fastener has a pointed The opening shank 4 (Fig. 2) similar to the shank 1 of the seaming device, but instead of the open link 2 of the seaming device, the shank 4 of the end fastener is provided with a coil 5 the turns of which are spaced to permit the passage of the material 3. This coil 5 is shown as comprising one and onehalf turns and forms a continuation of the shank 4. The free end of this coil is pointed.

In use the shank 4 of the end fastener is passed through the meeting portions of the material 3 in the same manner as the shank 1 .of the seaming device and as appears in Fig- 2. The shank 4 is in like manner rota-ted todraw the meeting edges together and to bring the coil 5 to the fastening or holding position. Finally the shank 4 is clipped off with a pair of nippers, and preferably the coil is slightly turned to conceal both free ends of the coil 5 beneath the material 3, the pointed end of the coil now entering such material. The final appearance of the end fastener is shown in Fig. 3.

seaming devices of different sizes will be employed according to the particular use. With seaming devices of a given size, however, their distance apart in the seam may be varied within certain limits. For example, in turning a short curve in the seam, such as would occur in going around a bend in a steam pipe, the seaming devices are placed close together and the surplus length of the shank 1 is out off.

The seaming devices and end fasteners of my invention may be readily and inexpensively made up in large quantities by means of simple wire working machinery, and in forming a seam they may be inserted very rapidly.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A seam comprising meeting portions held together by a series of seaming devices, each having a holding portion engaging the said meeting portions and having a locking .shank which is held in place at the reverse side of the seam by the holding portion of the next succeeding seaming device.

2. A seam comprising meeting portions held together by a series of open links, each link having a locking shank which is held in place at the reverse side of the seam by the next succeeding link.

3. A seam comprising meeting portions held together by a series of seaming devices each having a pointed combined stitching and locking shank and having an open link engaging the meeting portions, the free end of the link projecting toward the shank and providing the link opening between such free end and the shank, the shank of each seaming device being locked in place at the reverse side of the same by the link of the next succeeding seaming device.

4. A seam comprising meeting portions held together by a series of seaming devices, each having a locking shank and having an open link engaging the meeting portions, each seaming device being locked in place by the next succeeding seaming device, and

a final end-fastening device locking in place the locking shank of the final seaming device. In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN W. WALLACE. lVitnesses JOHN H. KELLY, WM. ASHLEY KELLY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

